“Tupac Resurrection In His Own Words”
by terri sapp
The 2004 release of “Tupac Resurrection In His Own Words” marks a true heartfelt nod to one of the most intelligently powerful lyricists of all time. Tupac, in his life, touched many people’s hearts through his words, music, rhymes, and his many characters, both on and off screen. In his death, he has touched so many more with his overall message that will forever remain alive in those who truly understand it. This DVD captures the intensity surrounding Tupac Shakur by having his own voice speaking his own words all through.
From start to finish, “Resurrection” displays the raw emotion that encompasses its main character. From start to finish, we are invited to experience the life and death of Tupac through photographs throughout his life and of his death; through videos of public appearances and home videos over the years; and through clips of his one of a kind artistic expression. Having been born and raised a true Revolutionary by Revolutionaries, Tupac’s message has always remained strong, no matter what the topic.
Having had his first taste of Fine Arts at an early age attending the Baltimore School of the Performing Arts, Tupac was able to find joy in pretending to be like the characters on the television. Quoted saying things like: “Poverty is no joke,” “Poor people should live like rich people, and vice versa, and change every week,” “we’re living in a war zone,” and (at 17) “There should be a class on drugs, a class on sex, a class on police brutality, a class on apartheid, and a class on why people are hungry. Instead, there’s gym” there’s no doubting Pac’s passion for the ultimate utopian society. During his beginnings with Shock G and the Digital Underground, Tupac was homeless. That is until some rich white record company guy’s young daughter heard and liked his demo, and he got signed as a solo artist. From then on, his goal was to show the most graphic details of his community in hopes to put a stop to the horror, kinda like the evening news showing clips of the Vietnam War. “I didn’t create THUGLIFE, I diagnosed it.” In Tupac’s world, “I don’t give a fuck!” = “Give me liberty or give me death.”
Early on, Tupac was quite vocal of his contempt for the media, and his wishes that they “print the facts” as opposed to perpetuating the “East Coast v. West Coast” rivalry. Instead, he begged for the media to exercise greater restraint with the release of the information they print. Knowing this would never happen in our lifetime, Tupac was better safe than sorry by recording three (3) songs a day to be prepared for his ultimate demise, which he predicted in several of his projects. In “Tupac Resurrection” we are reminded of the significance of his life and death. Fortunately for us, there is enough unreleased material that not only will his memory live forever, his repertoire continues to grow.
The special features include: Audio commentary by Tupac’s mom, Afeni Shakur, Director Lauren Lazin, and surprise guests; four (4) deleted scenes; exclusive interviews; Malcolm X dinner speech; deposition; about the “Resurrection” soundtrack; music videos; remembering Tupac; Mutulu Shakur interview; Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts; trailers; bootleg this!; widescreen version; dolby digital and surround sound; and English subtitles.
For more information, and to get a copy of your own, visit: http://www.tupac-resurrection.com/. Don’t miss this one. It actually brought tears to my eyes.